


In War Victory

by Elevane_Theirin



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-22
Updated: 2017-09-19
Packaged: 2018-11-17 03:59:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,362
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11267487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elevane_Theirin/pseuds/Elevane_Theirin
Summary: Elevane meets Daveth and Ser Jory. They venture into the Kocari Wilds where Alistair learns just how much pain Elevane is in.





	1. Fleeing Highever

Duncan picked his way carefully through the underbrush of the forest towards the south. The woman behind him, not much more than a child really, moved along stiffly not even looking at anything. He wondered, and not for the first time, if he’d made a mistake in insisting she join the Wardens in exchange for her safety. If he were honest with himself he would have rescued her even if she’d refused. It wasn’t that he didn’t think she’d make it as a Warden, far from that. He was worried about her well being. Duncan was afraid she would become the opposite of the woman he had known her to be.  Betrayal and horror will do that and he had been hoping to find someone who was kind and caring so Alistair could have the kind of friendship Duncan had always had with Alistair’s mother.

The Wardens weren’t the plan for Alistair either of his parents had, Duncan knew that but he also knew that the boy he’d found in the Chantry was more miserable than the life they’d attempted to shield him from. He cursed Eamon and Isolde again for what they had done to the boy.

He turned his thoughts away from that misery to the one that walked behind him, deciding they’d stop as soon as they got deep enough into the forest that Howe’s men wouldn’t continue to look for those who’d escaped the slaughter in Highever. Elevane needed rest and Maker willing she’d sleep a little.

A few hours later Duncan had to put his hand out to stop his companion from walking on once he’d announced they were stopping to camp. He said nothing as she stood in the clearing while he laid out the mats and started the fire, occasionally looking up to be sure his charge was still there. Dinner was some cold chicken and bread he’d managed to snatch on their way out of the castle through the secret passage.

Elevane had managed on her own to move towards the fire and sit on her mat but when he’d set the plate beside her she only laid down and turned her back to himself and the fire. He couldn’t hear her weeping but Duncan watched her back gently tremble and knew in his heart that she’d finally allowed hers to break. He only hoped she’d survive the heartache without too much damage. He prayed to the Maker for her, the first time he’d done such a thing in more years than he cared to count.

 The following morning Ele woke to the sound of her father waking her “Pup!” He’d called, but when she realized where she was her face became the stoic mask she’d been wearing the night before. 

Elevane looked around and realized the Warden was nowhere in sight. She also noticed the fire had burned low and his gear and pack were gone. In her mind a creepy smile spread across her face as she came to the conclusion that he’d decided to leave her there. 

“Good!” She told herself, “it’s nothing less than what you deserve and everything you want in a neat little package.” She’d sit there until she starved to death she decided. She knew it was a terrible way to die but it was no less horrific than what she imagined her parents had suffered. The final words she’d heard from them ringing in her ears, “Go Pup.” She sighed and bundled up the mat Duncan had left then sat on a nearby rock losing herself in the memories of the home she no longer had.

It wasn’t just her parents she’d lost. Howe had managed to destroy every part of her life. All the people who called Cousland Castle home. The soldiers, the elves, the squires, Nan, Ser Gilmore. When his face flashed in her mind she thought her heart had been ripped from her chest and she wailed eerily. Rory! Gone!  She’d grown up with him since she had been about six when he’d come to learn to squire for her father. It was all just too much. The pain was as if her whole self, body and spirit was shattered like an egg that had been thrown against a wall. They were all her family, down to the cat that roamed the hallways and they were all gone. Now all she had left was Fergus and she wasn’t even sure that was true.

Duncan smiled and held up a fennec, “I’ve got breakfast, or lunch as late as it is.”

His companion didn’t stir, her eyes as vacant as they’d been the night before, but today filled with unshed tears. He busied himself with stoking the fire and preparing their meal, stealing glances at her. He fought his own thoughts, he wanted to hold her and reassure her that things would get better but he knew he couldn’t do that. It wasn’t a promise he was sure he could keep, and besides soon he would be her commander and commanders had to know where to draw the line on insinuating themselves into the personal lives of their charges. He prayed that Alistair could lighten her burden, maybe it was she who needed Alistair not he who needed her.

Duncan tried again to get Elevane to eat, she ignored the plate, her eyes glazed over as though there were no thoughts in her mind. The worry rose within Duncan again. When he finished his own meal he wrapped hers up and put it in a small pack he put on her back with no help from her. 

Two days later they arrived in Denerim. Duncan had hoped to meet another recruit in the Alienage but by the time he’d gotten there he’d been arrested and executed for attacking the son of the Arl. He did manage to secure them a ride in a cart belonging to Nessa and her parents on their way to Ostagar to work at the army’s camp. Out of respect for the family and Elevane, Duncan pulled them aside and told them briefly about what had happened in Highever. Nessa to her credit did all she could to comfort Ele without revealing that she knew what had happened, but after the fourth day on the road with the family Elevane was still not eating.

Nessa’s mother slipped up beside Duncan as they walked. 

“The girl needs to eat Ser, if we can find a chicken I will make her a broth, but she cannot go on like this or she will die”, the worry evident in the elvhen woman’s voice. 

So, Duncan slipped away at the first farm house they came to and paid far too much for one of the farmers skinny chickens. That evening Nessa managed to get Elevane to sip some of the broth but shortly afterward he’d heard her behind the cart getting sick. Nessa didn’t let that stop her from trying again the tears evident in her eyes as she watched the utter misery and heartbreak that had once been the daughter of Teyrn Cousland.

 By the time they reached Ostagar Elevane had not improved other than no longer refusing the broth she was given. The family hugged her in turn before parting ways, Nessa whispered something in Elevane’s ear as she pressed a wooden figure into her hand before leaving.

Duncan was impressed with how well his charge put on her nobility face when they’d met King Cailan on the road outside the King’s Camp. She not only smiled politely but spoke to him. She told him of Howe’s audacity to murder her family, asked after her brother Fergus and even listened to Cailan go on about the upcoming battle. However, the liveliness she expressed vanished the moment they walked away from the King. Her eyes again glazed over and she resumed her melancholy mood.

 “We won’t start the battle for several more days. You should find a place and set up camp and find Alistair. He’s the Warden who will be helping you with the Joining. If you’re interested there are two more recruits in the King’s Camp as well, Ser Jory and Daveth.”

Ele only nodded. Duncan hoped leaving her to her own devices wouldn’t lead to him finding her alone staring off into space or worse dead, however he had to do something to give her a push in the direction of healing. 

On her own for the first time in days Elevane stood overlooking what would soon be a battlefield trying to decide where she should go. The only thing keeping her from bolting was the promise she’d made to her parents. It echoed in her head along with the shame of hoping she would die in the woods. 

The words of the elven girl, Nessa oddly had given her strength to at least move forward, to see that justice was done and what her behavior had been doing to her family’s memory. Ele fingered the wooden figurine in her hand, a small wolf carved from ironbark. It was the most precious thing Nessa had owned and she’d given it to Ele, whispering “Mythal bring justice to those who have wronged you and may the Dread Wolf take Howe.”

Elevane and the rest of the Couslands had always been known in HIghever as fair and treating the elves much like everyone else but it still surprised her when the girl spoke these words to her. Nessa had not just said them but it was obvious she meant them. Somehow it had given Ele the strength Howe had taken away when he’d taken all that she’d known and loved.

Elevane took a deep breath and steeled herself for what she had to do. As she crossed the bridge into the King’s Camp and into a future she’d never wanted nor had seen for herself.

“In War Victory,” she said to anyone who could hear or was listening. For this was war, whether Howe knew it or not.


	2. The King’s Camp

The camp was bustling with excitement. Everywhere Elevane looked something was going on. Still very much depressed and unable to fully participate in the world around her Ele satisfied herself with watching and gathering information. If anyone paid her any mind she appeared to be some soldier’s daughter or or young wife fascinated with the spectacles around her. After a harried week on the road she didn’t look much like a nobleman’s daughter. 

She watched the mages perform some type of ritual but when she moved closer a tall gruff Templar ran her off. After visiting the quartermaster to replace her missing supplies and gear that she hadn’t grabbed that awful night she heard a sound that reopened her fresh wounds and followed the baying that reminded her of home. Ele spent hours in front of the mabari pen trading tips with the trainer. It was the only activity that lifted her spirits even though being near the magnificent creatures only reminded her of Granite, her own mabari who had disappeared during the fray at Highever.

As she walked away finally to decide where she’s set up her tent she caught sight of Duncan who nodded once from his spot near a bonfire in a cursory hello look. She turned away quickly, embarrassed at being caught enjoying herself and headed toward a stream the quartermaster had mentioned was nearby and just inside the wooden walls of the King’s Camp.

Elevane found the stream with little difficulty, she walked up stream until she’d found what she was hoping for and surveyed the area. It was private and secluded. If she placed her tent nearby no one would get by without her seeing them and give her the perfect place to bathe. She’d found a small waterfall, if that was even the word for it as little as it was. The water pooled at the bottom leaving the water level mid thigh instead of the ankle to calf deep like the rest of it down stream. She began setting up her camp the stone mask on her face that dared anyone to bother her or even speak.

After Elevane passed him Duncan followed her. He didn’t do it to hover like a mother hen, he had wanted to see where she intended to set her tent. He’d watched her pick up the supplies she’d bought from the quartermaster but she was heading the opposite direction from where the rest of the King’s soldiers were camped. He was curious what she intended to do. When he saw where she’d decided to set up Duncan slipped away to find Alistair, his presence not completely un-noticed by the noble scout.

Duncan found the young Warden by his own tent picking at his dinner. Dinner being a loose term for whatever the brown mush he had in his bowl. Alistair stood up as the Warden-Commander approached him.

“Sit down son,” Duncan said kindly, “We need to talk about the newest recruit, and I need to ask you to do something for me.”

“Anything you need Duncan, you know that.” Alistair began.

Duncan held his hand up quieting the boy, “Just hear me out, please.”

Duncan took a seat on the stump of wood Alistair had recently vacated. The young Warden sitting on a log beside the nearby fire, his back to the flames. Duncan’s face softened as he began the story of what had happened to Elevane’s and her family, pausing only briefly to answer questions Alistair peppered him with. The young man’s eyes barely contained his tears as he quietly asked Duncan what they could do for the woman. Duncan’s heart warmed. The boy was so much like his parents it was as though they were sitting there with him.

“I’d like you to pull up camp and move down stream. Close to her so you can keep an eye on her Alistair. She’s going to need a lot of support and understanding over the next few days and more importantly she’s going to need a friend. I also think that having a friend wouldn’t hurt you either.”

Alistair was willing to do what he could, but he didn’t see how he himself would need her the way Duncan was implying. The life of a Warden has been much better than the Chantry. He was happier than he could ever recall being, but if Duncan wanted this then Alistair would do as he was asked. He owed Duncan for freeing him from his life of loneliness and bitterness. When the older Warden had left Alistair waster no time packing up his tent and belongings. He made his way the direction the recruit had camped

Elevane had put up her tent and started a blazeing fire. The damp in the air had given her a chill and she needed to warm herself, now that she’d returned from a much needed bath. While she was gone someone had slipped up to her camp and placed a pot of soup over her fire. Her stomach rumbled for the first time in days as she stirred the pot, checking to see how much longer it needed to cook. She was surprised to find herself wanting at least a bit of a meal. Ele supposed being around more people had helped her more than she’d thought.

As she was thinking about this a large crash snapped her out of her reverie. Down the bank a large dark blonde man in Grey Warden armor was trying to navigate his way up stream. Ele was amused at the spectacle he made bumbling his way along. She actually smiled a little.

“You there!, What are you doing?” she called out to him

“I’m trying to move away from all those soldiers can’t you see that? Mind if I set up over there?” He pointed across the stream form her but just a bit further down.

“By all means, enjoy!” Elevane turned back to her fire and began sharpening her blades.

Elevane watched the strange man set up his camp, it took him three times as long as it had taken her. She’d oiled her armor and sharpened both her daggers by the time he’d finally had his tent in place. When he started to place his sleeping roll into the tent the Warden hit his head on the fabric and it all came crashing down on top of him. Ele laughed in spite of herself. His grunting and fighting his way out of the collapsed tent made it even funnier, she was enjoying herself and for the moment forgot all about the past few days.

When he crawled out of the mess that had been his tent he looked sheepishly in her direction. She smiled at the warden and called out to him, 

“ Here, let me do that before you break something.”

As he walked over to her she asked, “Do you think you could watch this pot without burning it? It will be the first actual meal I’ve had in days.”

He smiled broadly at her “you must be the new recruit Duncan was telling me about.”

“Which would make you Alistair I presume? Nice to meet you, now stay here and don’t burn my dinner.”

Alistair watched the newest recruit as she constructed the tent he’d so recently demolished. He could see what drew Duncan to go all the way to Highever in an attempt to recruit her. Duncan had said she fought with two daggers like a rogue, her graceful movements and firm muscles proved she also practiced a lot. He wondered how many actual battles she’d fought, not that he’d had much experience in that area but he had fought darkspawn before.

It took her no time to finish her task and when she somersaulted over the stream Alistair was impressed with her show. The smile she gave when he stood up and clapped made the overcast day shine as if the sun had shown itself in the sky. He wondered what type of person Elevane had been before the massacre of her family, he also hoped she’d recover that person.

Ele bowed slightly as she landed her tumble over the stream. Alistair’s reaction had actually made her smile. Her father would have scolded her for showing off like that but she enjoyed the way her fighting movements made her feel and she hadn’t actually practiced in over a week. Ele shrugged to herself as she made her way back to her tent.

“There you go Alistair, your abode is ready.” 

The Warden’s face warmed before responding, “I could have done it myself you know, I’m not completely useless!”

The thought that she may have offended him stabbed at Elevane, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it like that. It’s not you, I suppose I haven’t been very kind to people since…well, the last few days.”

She still couldn’t bring herself to say the words out loud. Thankfully a commotion running through the camp broke the awkward moment. It sounded as if the whole camp was shouting, and the barking added to the noise did little to explain the situation. The cacophony grew closer as the cause of the uproar broke from the main camp and came into view.

“GRANITE!!” Elevane called gleefully.

The mabari turned her head towards the sound of Ele’s voice and wagged it’s tail. It veered off it’s current path towards her master. Ele ran to meet her best friend, the two slammed into each other in the middle of the calf deep cold waters of the stream. Granite hit Ele so hard she fell over into the water giggling and laughing.

Alistair stood on the bank amused at the sight of the woman and her mabari. The sounds of Elevane laughing filling the air with such a pleasent sound Alistair decided he would do everything in his power to make her do it for him. Maker! He realized he already liked the woman. That was not good, what if she didn’t survive the joining he wondered.

The soaked pair made it back to shore and as they walked back to Ele’s tent with her hand on the mabari’s head Elevane offered Alistair a bit of her soup. The pair talked for several hours about the Wardens and their childhoods. After Finally the two separated each going to their own tents. Ele and Granite disappeared into her tent.

As Ele snuggled down with Granite she felt better than she had in ages and thanked the Maker for her sweet mabari. Alistair tossed and turned suffering from nightmares of losing someone he’d just met and couldn’t possibly already like as much as he did considering how little they knew about each other but when he woke his cheeks were wet with tears at the loss the nightmares had brought.


	3. We Stand Vigilant

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elevane meets Daveth and Ser Jory. They venture into the Kocari Wilds where Alistair learns just how much pain Elevane is in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to give credit to immortality at NexxusMods for the Ser Gilmore romance. I wanted to add a bit more background to my Cousland and their Ser Gilmore Companion mod for DAO helped fill in the gaps. I tried to make it at least sort of different from the memory of their kiss in the Mod but I doubt I succeeded.   
> Thank you for the great mod!

After breakfast and checking in with Duncan to see if she should be doing anything in particular Elevane went in search of the two remaining Grey Warden recruits. She found Ser Jory easily enough, he was praying with several of the other soldiers and a Chantry sister. He was tall and burly, not really what anyone would mistake for a knight, but mostly because he seemed fonder of food and not as fond of exercise. Not to say she didn’t believe someone could be so fond of food and NOT be a knight, Ele had seen plenty of those, they just had seemed to be in better shape. Clearly though he did well in a fight, he said so repeatedly when discussing how he became a recruit. Jory told her he had been a knight in Highever before moving to Redcliffe with his wife, but she was hard pressed to remember ever seeing him in her Father’s castle before. After introducing herself to him and chatting with him Ele was ready to go look for Daveth. Jory was an okay fellow but he bordered on whining.

  
The last thing he said to her before she excused herself was, “Haven’t I earned my right to be here? Why do we need more tests?”

  
Elevane had nothing to say in response and simply replied “I don’t know” as she walked away.

Finding Daveth proved to be a little more difficult. It was obvious, to Ele anyway that he was hiding. When she found him, he was in the shadow of the quartermaster’s tent picking the lock of a chest nearby. Grinning she waited for him to raise the lid and terrified him.

  
“What are you looking for?”

  
The chest lid fell with a loud bang and the quartermaster stopped hammering the sword he was working on and looked around. Ele grabbed Daveth and pulled him further into the shadows. Once the quartermaster returned to his work Elevane giggled hysterically and ran, with the would be thief in pursuit.

  
“Why’d you do that? He had some really good stuff!”

  
Ele stuck out her hand in response, “Elevane, Grey Warden recruit from Highever, and it’s a good thing I did, he trapped the bottom, lift anything out and your hands would be gone before they reached the top.”

  
Staring dumbfounded he shook her hand, “Daveth, one of the other recruits already here, and in that case, thanks! I can’t exactly ply my trade without any hands.”

  
Daveth turned out to be a cutpurse, besides a good lockpick. He was far more fun than Jory. Except for the constant bad pickup lines but Ele just ignored them. The two had more in common that she would have suspected and had Daveth known her history he would have been surprised himself. They were both rogues, although Daveth used his bow more than she. The next few days Daveth showed Ele how to pick pockets and make poisons. She only got caught the one time and Duncan had simply reminded her the point was to not get caught. He didn’t even scold her. In return Elevane showed Daveth how to make healing poultices and potions, and she taught him how to track better. While he was quiet he didn’t know how to read the signs that are left by what you are tracking. Elevane guessed having lived in the city his whole life had something to do with it.

Alistair watched the two recruits chatting and laughing. She’d been here a week and since that first couple of days she’d hardly spent any time with him. He wondered what she saw in Daveth. If Alistair thought on it more he would recognize the tiny spark of jealousy for what it was. Duncan cleared his throat snapping Alistair from his thoughts.

  
“Alistair, go get the recruits and report back to me, it’s time to get started and complete the Joining. The King is ready to begin the battle in five days.”

  
“Yes Duncan.” Alistair replied before running off to round up his charges.

  
The three would be Wardens were tasked with going into the Kocari Wilds and retrieve a vial of darkspawn blood each. Alistair was to watch over them. When that task was completed they were to locate the old Warden compound and attempt to retrieve some old treaties. Elevane didn’t understand why Granite couldn’t come with them, the trained mabari would have been a tremendous asset on this excursion but Duncan had insisted she stay with him. Granite uncharacteristically had simply barked a happy agreement and sat beside the Warden Commander. Elevane secretly hoped they would locate her brother Fergus who was still out scouting the Wilds, even though the chances of him only being a day from the main camp were slim to none.

  
Nothing of note happened the first few hours of the day except more of Ser Jory’s complaining about having to perform another test. The remaining three companions rolled their eyes every time he started up again. Jory was right in the middle of another round when they found a wounded soldier lying on the ground. At first Ele was afraid it was Fergus but when they got closer he spoke.

  
“ Help me please, the darkspawn came out of nowhere and I got separated from the rest of the soldiers, I think they’re all dead.” He gasped out.  
Ele squatted down and assessed the damage to the soldier. He was going to need time healing, or a mage and while his injuries looked bad they weren’t life threatening as long as he could get some help.

  
“We can take him back to camp,” she mused, “it’s only a couple of hours from here”

  
“Bandages will be fine, I think I can make it back on my own if the worst of the bleeding can be stopped.” The soldier replied.

  
Alistair produced bandages from his pack, and Ele parted with a few of the healing poultices she’d been making with the elfroot they’d found along the way. The soldier headed back towards the camp and Ser Jory asked to go back as well, afraid of the darkspawn the soldiers had encountered.

  
“I don’t like this, we’ll all be killed, what was the point of sending just the four of us into darkspawn filled Wilds?” He whined

  
“We are hardly helpless”

  
Ele was exasperated and tired of hearing the constant complaining from Jory, she didn’t want to be here either but it wasn’t like she had the luxury of a choice like Ser Jory had. He could have changed his mind long before coming to Ostagar. He made an agreement and he should stick to it she thought.

  
“I can sense the darkspawn, while there are some about, it isn’t even close to the main part of the horde,” Alistair retorted trying to diffuse the building tension between Jory and Elevane.

  
“You hear that Ser Knight? We may die but at least we’ll know about it first.” Daveth joked.

  
Just as the chuckling died down Elevane heard something low and sinister.

  
Alistair warned, “Darkspawn, get ready to fight.”

  
Before he knew what happened Elevane seemed to have disappeared, just as the darkspawn began their assault. She reappeared behind a Hurlock wielding a staff, before he could let off a spell Ele had stabbed him in the back with her sword and dagger, the sword sticking out of his chest from behind.

  
“One!” She yelled

  
“Oh, so that’s how we’re playing this” was Daveth’s response He shot an arrow knocking a Genlock’s arrow out of the way before it hit Ele and quickly shot it through the neck  
“One, and I saved your butt!”

  
Alistair stood for a moment shocked that the two of them were making this a game but quickly recovered running towards Elevane and the Genlocks attempting to surround her, bashing one in the face with his shield just as Daveth filled him full of arrows.

  
Ele spun around stabbing 2 of the darkspawn at once then slitting their throats before they could recover, “Three!”

  
Alistair found himself spending more time blocking arrows shot at the two scouts than actually fighting the darkspawn. Elevane and Daveth were quick and seemed to disappear and dodge the genlocks and hurlock’s. Before he knew it Ele was yelling out “Nine” and Daveth was cursing his bad luck for not having gotten more. Jory had been busy the whole time trying to get a hit in now and then but having luck in only finishing off the darkspawn Daveth’s arrows didn’t kill. Once the fighting was over they had more than enough darkspawn blood for their needs.

  
“Since we’re about a half a day from the Warden compound and we’ve got the blood we’ll find a place nearby to camp and start out in the morning.” Alistair announced.

  
They found a little spot that appeared to be an abandoned campsite, more likely than not from the recent scouts in the Wilds. The foursome set up tents and started a fire. Instead of cooking they made a meal of the bread and dried meat they had brought along. Daveth sharing some ale he’d managed to acquire from some unknown source. Elevane took the first watch and soon the camp was filled with the sounds of the sleeping men. It had been a good day for her, they had been so busy she hadn’t had time to think about her family much. Now that she was alone in the quiet they were all she could think about.

  
She became lost in her memories. The day Ser Gilmore had come to Highever to squire for her father. She had been there when the wagon pulled up. She’d never seen a boy with such red hair, when he smiled at her she had stuck out her tongue at him. She smiled to herself, little did she know that one day that little boy would mean so much more to her. They grew up together, he was older than she but younger than Fergus, Rory was the perfect age to be both their playmates and he was. They all three trained to fight together, they played hide and seek, celebrated birthdays and holidays together. Rory had been just another part of the family. Ele smiled again, remembering her 15th birthday. She’d grown tired of the party and went out to the training yard alone. It wasn’t long before Rory came looking for her. She was sitting on a bench bathed in moonlight when he sat down to join her.

 

“ You are so beautiful Ele, I’ve always thought so.”

  
Elevane blushed now as she had then, he was the first boy to ever tell her such a sweet thing and it was a memory she would always cherish. She hadn’t known what to say to him, so she’d only smiled and whispered thank you.

Roland had leaned over and kissed her softly on the lips. She’d tingled from head to toe. “I’ve always loved you, you know? Since the day my father brought me to Highever, I just didn’t know what the feeling was. I’ve only grown to love you more in the years since.”

  
“Oh! Rory, you know I love you too, don’t you?” She was so nervous she was shaking. She hadn’t even dreamt he would feel the same about her.

  
They leaned in for another kiss, their lips had barely touched when she heard her mother scream. They’d been caught. That was the day she learned that a Teryn’s daughter couldn’t be in a relationship with a squire. She was grounded for a month and Roland was forbidden to see her even with other people around. She’d refused to speak to her parents for months afterward. Eventually, they were trusted to interact with each other again, but by that time they both had learned their place in Thedas, and sadly it would never be together. Elevane wiped the tears from her eyes, all of them were gone and the best thing she could do was to make sure that Howe was punished. She sighed sadly and woke Daveth for his turn at watch.

  
Alistair was wakened by a horrible scream, it sounded as if someone were being murdered, he grabbed his sword and shield and tumbled out of his tent landing in a defensive stance. Looking around he noticed Ser Jory and Daveth staring at Elevane’s tent. The scream came again, louder this time and full of anguish.

  
“Can’t we do something?” Daveth asked quietly “She sounds like she’s being torn to pieces.”

  
“If she doesn’t shut up she’s going to bring the darkspawn down on top of us” Jory stated full of fear.

  
“Shut up Jory, if I hear you complain one more time I swear the next arrow that flies will go through your leg! She’s in pain you selfish bastard!” Daveth had clearly finally had enough of Jory.

  
Alistair sighed and looked sadly at Ele’s tent ignoring the arguing recruits. He set his shield and sword down and crawled into Elevane’s tent. She was laying on her bedroll tossing and turning, whimpering and moaning. When he sat beside her on his knees she screamed again.

  
“No, don’t. You can’t! Mother! Father! Don’t, I can’t go, I can’t leave you here!”

  
Alistair reached out his hand and stroked her face, she calmed a little returning to the quiet moans and whimpering. He moved to take her hand and she gripped it tightly. When she loosened her grip after calming more he moved to leave. Ele grabbed his hand.

  
“Don’t leave, please. I can’t do this anymore. I can’t have that dream again!” She’d woken enough to recognize she wasn’t alone.

  
It took Alistair a moment to realize why he’d never heard her have these nightmares before, Granite had been with her since the mabari had arrived at the camp. She’d been her support, taking care of her mistress more than even Elevane knew.

  
“Shh, I’m not going anywhere. Let me ask Daveth to take my watch and I’ll come back.” She released her grip on his hand and Alistair poked his head out of the tent.

  
“I heard, go ahead, she needs you more than I need you to relieve me” Daveth answered before he could ask.

  
Alistair crawled in beside Elevane careful not to get too close, but she moved beside him and laid her head on his shoulder. He smiled, a small part of him wishing she was seeking more than comfort but to be close to him specifically. It took her no time to return to sleep. The night grew quiet and peaceful again as Alistair drifted off liking the feeling of Elevane so close to him.

  
Elevane woke up early the next morning, Alistair was sleeping soundly beside her with his back to her. She vaguely remembered asking him to stay with her. She’d been terrified the night before, sure Howe would come back for her after watching her parents die again in her dreams. She gathered her outer armor and crawled out of the tent putting on her leathers as she stood up. The other two recruits were sitting around the fire. Daveth smiled sadly at her and Jory looked angry but she ignored them both.

  
“I suppose we should wake the Warden and head out, we’re supposed to be back at camp by this evening, with any luck anyway.” She spoke

  
“I’m up, I’m up” she heard from inside the tent.

  
They broke camp and headed out. The Warden compound was closer than Alistair had thought and they’d located it by mid-morning. When they searched the broken tower they found nothing but a Chasind witch who claimed her mother had the treaties, but only after much discussion. Her name was Morrigan and she lead them to the little hut she shared with her Mother. The old witch seemed strange and even a little crazy. She gave them the treaties but before they could leave she stopped Alistair.

  
“You and the girl will change the course of history, but only together. Without you there will be no her, and without her you cannot be.”

  
“What? What does that even mean?” Alistair asked

  
Laughing creepily the witch stated “You will know in time. Now, Morrigan, show your guests out of the Wilds.” She turned and went into her hut letting them know their audience with her was over.

  
Thanks to Morrigan it took them less than 3 hours to return to the Kings camp, she knew all the hidden trails through the Wilds. When the camp came into sight, Morrigan disappeared. It was just as well Alistair thought, those two witches gave him the creeps, we’re lucky we aren’t toads he thought to himself.


	4. Join Us Brothers and Sisters

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elevane joins the Grey Wardens much to the chagrin of Granite.

Once the party returned to the King’s Camp in Ostagar Duncan announced they would perform the Joining that night. The few hours spent waiting for the ritual Elevane spent alone. She’d even refused the company of Granite. Ele couldn’t get the dream that was a memory out of her head. She’d vowed to kill Howe and she’d even vowed to herself that she wouldn’t brood over her life but her subconscious betrayed her. Even in her sleep there was no rest for her heart. She ached to have gone with her parents. To not be left in this world where it was quite possible the Blight and the darkspawn would rule and corrupt. Duncan had told the recruits that dying was a possible outcome of the Joining, she hoped that if she was lucky this would be the case. When the time came for her to join the others at the ruined temple Elevane put on her noble face, the one that led the world around her to believe she was brave, and capable of anything but inside she was dying a slow and painful death that she wasn’t sure even her steel resolve could over shadow. 

Ser Jory panicked, and when he drew his sword on Duncan there was no choice but to kill the recruit. Only then did Elevane realize that Jory had been terrified. Strong and capable as he might have been the reason he’d complained so much was his utter fear of the darkspawn. His face had filled with horror when they’d been told they would drink the darkspawn blood they had brought back from the Wilds. This hadn’t bothered Elevane, she’d come to terms with the fact that at least for now her life was not her own but she’d also decided she would do all she could to change that. 

Daveth was the worst of all though. He’d stated he’d do far more than drink darkspawn blood if it meant defeating the Blight, he wasn’t just ready for the Joining he had given himself over to it. He bravely drank the concoction in the silver cup but something went wrong. His eyes rolled up into his head and he began to choke. Before anyone could do anything Daveth was lying on the ground. Dead.

When Ele’s turn came she tipped the cup and drank deeply, wishing she’d meet the same fate as Daveth. Instead she remembered little after the first sip, except the dragon in her dreams that seemed to call to her. The sound of music, singing, but the sound wasn’t beautiful like most songs, it was sick, and full of dark corruption, she hoped she’d never have to hear that sound again. When she awoke both Alistair and Duncan were leaned over her, asking if she was alright. No she wasn’t alright, she was still alive! Standing up she felt shaky and weak. Duncan sent her to her tent to rest. When she called Granite to her the mabari refused to come closer than four feet from where she stood. 

“What’s wrong with you Granite? I’m fine, let’s go lie down.” She urged.

Granite backed away another foot. Elevane shrugged sadly, and turned to walk away. It seems this whole situation had lost her another dear friend. She walked back to her tent, and although Granite refused to come near her or let her touch her she followed Elevane dutifully. When Ele entered her tent Granite whined and stayed outside, laying down beside the fire. She woofed softly as Ele gave up trying to coax her. Ele laid down on her bedroll and quietly cried. She felt as if the whole world had turned it’s back on her and taking the Joining only separated her even more from the world she had known.

Alistair returned to his tent, when he noticed Granite outside Ele’s tent he came over to have a chat with the war hound.

“She’s still her you know. You needn’t act that way.”

Granite looked at him curiously then whined.

“Yes, she is different but she’s still your mistress. It’s only the taint you smell.”

Granite softly woofed, then growled lightly.

“Hey! It wasn’t my doing, if you have a problem with it take it up with Duncan!”

The mabari peered closely at Alistair and woofed louder before giving a deep resounding growl and strolling off in the direction of Duncan’s bonfire. Alistair got the distinct impression that the war dog was indeed going to take up the issue of her mistress with the Warden-Commander. He chuckled and for a moment felt sorry for Duncan, because Granite was clearly skilled at arguing. He glanced at Elevane’s tent and retreated into his own for the night, wishing there was something he could do to ease her pain.  
Alistair was startled awake by something grabbing his leg. He jerked up just making out his trouser leg in Granite’s teeth by the light of the fire outside. The mabari shook her head while still holding tight to his leg, shaking it.   
“Ok, ok, I’m coming!” Alistair whined.

Granite immediately left the tent and Alistair followed her. She ran to Elevane’s tent standing beside the unopened flap. When he didn’t move fast enough for the mabari she returned to him and nipped at his seat moving him along faster. He reached the tent and heard the now familiar whimper within, only it seemed far more dire than on previous occasions, if that was even possible. Alistair crawled inside attempting to urge Granite to do so as well, considering the mabari’s presence usually soothed her mistress. Granite was still having none of that, the closest she would come was her head poking under the tent flap. 

The Warden eased in beside Elevane, attempting not to wake her. He smoothed the hair and moved the wisps from her face. When he stretched out near her Elevane rolled over. She laid her head on his chest and draped her arm over him. Alistair smiled and shushed her quietly stroking her arm. Elevane made a quiet satisfied sound making his chest warm from his heart throughout his body. A short time later Granite eased another foot or so into the tent, laying her head on Ele’s foot and the three of them drifted off to sleep.

The next morning when Alistair woke he was alone. He listened for noises outside the tent and heard none. He returned to his own tent and dressed. Wondering where Elevane had gone off to. She didn’t seem in any state to go anywhere last night after the Joining. He was worried something was terribly wrong, but before he could properly search for her he ran into Duncan.

“Alistair, there you are. I need to you to get Elevane and come to my tent. It’s time we discussed the battle. We’ll be moving into the valley this evening. We cannot wait any longer.”

“Yes Duncan.” Was all Alistair replied.

He searched the infirmary as well as where the soldiers were training to fight the darkspawn. He even checked the Andraste statue where a Chantry sister was praying. It was several hours before he found Elevane. At first, he thought he was mistaken. She was sitting on the railing of the bridge crossing over the valley of Ostagar, Granite sitting beside her. Both of them perched on the stone rail like crows. He watched them a few moments and wondered just how safe that was, for either of them. When he approached the pair a quiet croaking voice greeted him.

“I wanted to thank you Alistair” Elevane noticed her voice was nearly gone. The choice she’d made lately to not speak unless absolutely necessary had clearly taken it’s toll.

“For what? I didn’t do anything.” Alistair was under the impression Ele had no idea about the nightly ritual in which he’d calmed her since she’d been at Ostagar.

“For being a friend. I haven’t had much in the way of happiness as of late and I haven’t been very good company. You think I don’t know, but I do. If it weren’t for you I’d have gotten no sleep the last several days.” Ele sighed.

“It, it was nothing, really, Granite did most of it.” He smiled softly at the woman whose back was still to him.

“Regardless, thank you. I appreciate it.” She patted the mabari on her head and the dog leaned into her.

“Yes, well, umm, Duncan wanted me to find you. We’re to discuss the upcoming battle. I hope we aren’t too late. I was sent to find you over an hour ago.”

“We better get going then.” Ele jumped down onto the bridge and gave Alistair a quick hug. 

He stood frozen watching her trot off with Granite, unsure of what had just happened.

 

After Duncan explained that the two of them would not be in the battle, their job was to light the signal fire at the top of the Tower of Ishal, the two set off to complete their task. Alistair grumbling the whole way about wanting to be a part of the battle itself. 

The trio was joined by a mage from the Circle when they reached the tower. It was overrun with darkspawn and the group easily fought their way through it. Every skirmish they came across put Alistair more and more in awe of Elevane. She was graceful and agile. Hiding at the right moments, setting traps at the choke points. He’d never seen anyone fight the way she did. It was more like watching her dance than fight.

When they reached the top of the tower they came face to face with an ogre. Ogre’s are giant darkspawn beasts, no one is truly sure what creates an Ogre but rumor is it’s bred from a Qunari broodmother, the thought made Alistair shudder. He’d never seen fewer than 10 people fight an ogre and even that was close, he was sure they wouldn’t survive this. Just as he reached the beast it grabbed Elevane and shook her violently. Fear welled up inside him as he bashed it with his shield. It dropped Ele who gently landed on her feet flipping out of its reach should it decide to try again. Once she was out of the way Alistair again bent down low to use his shield and bash at its knee caps, hopefully bringing it down. As he bent low he felt a weight on his back, for just a moment, it was so fast he nearly thought he’d imagined it, but when he looked up Ele was flying through the air, sword and dagger aimed at the ogre’s chest. When she landed her blades sunk deep into the muscle, she yanked the sword out and hopped onto the dagger still stuck in its chest, using it as a step. Ele buried her sword into the ogre’s eye and twisted, as it fell backward she leaned into its chest. When it was on its back, Ele was on her knees on its chest stabbing it again in the eye. Alistair had never heard of anything like that, let alone seen anything like it. He swelled with pride, which was odd since he’d done nothing.  
He went to inspect the ogre as Elevane lit the signal light halfway on the other side of the room. As the flames leapt up consuming the dry kindling the massive door to the tower flung open and waves of darkspawn flooded into the room. Alistair pulled his shield into position and turned towards Ele. She’d slain ten of the horrid beasts before a line of genlock archers shot her full of arrows. Alistair bellowed his heart breaking as he was being pummeled by several darkspawn of his own. Bashing his way towards Ele he was brought down by a Hurlock with a massive hammer. He couldn’t leave her there by herself. He needed to be there with her. They were certainly going to die, but he wasn’t going to let her die alone!

Alistair began to crawl towards Ele, this woman he’d just met yet knew he loved her already. He just reached out and took her hand, just barely touching her, still not close enough when he shut his eyes. 

“What is that sound?” he thought to himself, “it sounds like something is ripping the very roof off of the tower.”   
He could have sworn he saw a dragon burn through the horde of darkspawn in the tower before he finally blacked out, gripping Elevane’s hand, wanting desperately for her to know that he was with her.


End file.
